This disclosure relates to the medical field for head and neck procedures including surgery and imaging, and pertaining particularly to certain medical devices used to stabilize a patient for such procedures. In such procedures a patient can be positioned on a table or board structure (e.g., surgical table, OR table, transport table, transfer board, etc.) and then stabilized using a device such as a headrest, sometimes in the form of a skull clamp. Exemplary skull clamps for use in such systems are available from pro med instruments GmbH in the product line referred to as DORO® Headrest Systems. Where imaging procedures are involved, a stabilized patient can be positioned within the gantry of an MRI machine. In some instances, MRI headcoils can be positioned about the patient's stabilized head to acquire head and/or neck images.
While a variety of headrest systems have been made and used, it is believed that no one prior to the inventor(s) has made or used an invention as described herein.
The drawings are not intended to be limiting in any way, and it is contemplated that various embodiments of the invention may be carried out in a variety of other ways, including those not necessarily depicted in the drawings. The accompanying drawings incorporated in and forming a part of the specification illustrate several aspects of the present invention, and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention; it being understood, however, that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangements shown.